EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
—John F. Kennedy (1963)
We prepare graduates to be effective school and/or system leaders who positively impact student achievement. We are proud that our students in our leadership programs have the opportunity to study in schools and systems and present at conferences in other parts of the country and the world during the summer term.
Explore What We Offer
Our Degree Programs
Tier I Educational Leadership M.Ed.
The Tier I Educational Leadership M.Ed. program is designed around a set of academic and site-based experiences that provide knowledge and skills for candidates seeking a stronger understanding of the dynamics of educational leadership.
This self-select program leads to Tier I leadership certification in Georgia. This allows an individual to serve as an assistant principal or/in district-level leadership positions that do not supervise principals. The program design gives students a comprehensive understanding of beginning leadership concepts and activities.
Students develop the dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts by focusing on linking theory, research and practice to positively affect student outcomes.
If a student has a masters already and they wish to receive Tier I certification, they can visit our Educational Leadership, Tier I Certificate page.
Educational Leadership, Tier II Certification, Ed.S.
The Tier II educational specialist (Ed.S.) and Tier II add-on in educational leadership prepare graduates to be effective school and/or system leaders who positively affect student achievement.
Throughout the program, students work on meaningful projects to help them develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to lead school and district improvement efforts. Georgia State collaborates closely with its partner districts to help ensure students are being properly prepared to successfully address school and/or district needs.
Candidates who already hold an Ed.S. degree should apply for the 18-hour certification only add-on certificate. Candidates seeking a full Ed.S. degree should apply for the full 30-hour Ed.S. program. Both the add-on and the Ed.S. program lead to Tier II certification.
The certificate allows you to become a supervising administrator for schools and districts in Georgia.
Doctor of Education, Ed.D.
The educational leadership program advances the development and practice of effective educational leadership.
This program addresses educational leaders’ professional needs and supports their long-term career goals in leading schools, school districts and other education agencies in a complex, highly competitive global environment.
We provide senior-level administrators with the following:
- Knowledge and skills necessary to deal effectively with the complex issues facing education today
- Methods of inquiry necessary to analyze educational problems
- Leadership skills necessary to direct the development and implementation of programs to address those problems and to disseminate the results in various professional and public forums
- Knowledge and applied skills are rarely provided in traditional advanced degree programs in educational leadership in an alternative format that meets the needs of senior-level administrators.
Select concentration in:
- Advanced Leadership
- Higher Education Administration
- Tier II
Educational Policy Studies, Ph.D.
The Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies allows students to examine the philosophy and practice of education and to develop skills in both the methodology and the study of educational practice. Students will prepare to become policymakers and examiners of policy and the effects of policy on education.
There are four concentrations you can choose within this degree program. This is the concentration for this program:
Concentration in Educational Leadership
This concentration has three strands (leadership and administration, leadership and policy or leadership and urban education) that emphasize organizational leadership, policy development, supervision and management. The leadership concentration will be designed to meet the students’ unique career objectives including teaching and research in academia, leading schools, school districts and other education agencies. For those students seeking to obtain a Tier II certification, they must apply to the leadership and administration strand.
(Note: Applicants who receive favorable admission to the Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies with a concentration in Educational Leadership can apply to the Tier II certification should they qualify; to qualify, an applicant must be employed in a K-12 system to be able to complete the required hours of clinical leadership experiences for the Tier II certification, satisfy the Georgia Ethics Assessment for Educational Leadership, and finally submit a letter of recommendation from their immediate supervisor.)
For more information about the other units and their concentrations, visit:
Educational Leadership, Tier I Certificate
The online Tier I Educational Leadership Certificate program is for those with an education-related master’s degree who are passionate about leading and ready to take the next step towards becoming an entry-level leader in a school or school district, such as an assistant principal.
The courses introduce students to educational leadership theory and practice. Students participate in 300 hours of varied leadership experiences supported by a school or district mentor in addition to completing advanced coursework.
Upon completion of the program, students will receive a program certificate from the Board of Regents. They will be eligible to apply to the Professional Standards Commission for a Tier I Educational Leadership add-on certificate.